Glitter help

[TikiJoe]

Hey there guys. My name is Joe, and I am new to making soft plastics. I have decided to start pouring senkos, as I use them most and they are the simplest to pour(so I have heard). I plan on making 4 inch senkos as well as 5 inches. Purchasing a kit from Del-mart, with some add ons. Just wondering what size glitter you use. There's ultra-fine,small, medium and so many sizes, it gets confusing.

My question now is, What would you suggest? I know that the ultra-fine will use more, and it will have more, smaller glimmers in it, and the larger sizes will produce different light effects. Would it better for me to buy some Ultra-fine/small sizes to have some variety? If so, who is the best to go through for the glitter?

[nova]

Start with medium.

[TikiJoe]

Medium for stick baits? Hmm, why not. Who should I get the glitter from?

[millsryno]

The standard size for sticks is .035 or .040.

[Predator Bass Baits]

get some black .015 also if the baits you like have small black in them.

I have not tried these companys yet but will be very soon.

http://www.ozarktackle.com/glitter.html

http://www.fishingworld.com/M-F-Manufacturing/

[Senkosam]

A quick way to seeing the effects of different sizes of glitter in plastic is to look at pre-made baits. Glitter is commonly used in three sizes - .015, .025, .040; .008 is used in place of dye in clear plastic or in light tints.

Zoom color #54 uses .040 black, .015 black, .025 red and .008 red in watermelon. Zoom also uses .062 in some colors, though sparingly, along with finer glitter.

Recently I've had great success with .015 gold holo in smoke and don't want the effect of .040 gold holo in this particular color or for the type of baits I'm pouring (finesse worms and jig trailers).

Bass and other species can't see .015 or smaller and the only reason I use smaller glitter is for color flash and sheen. When a fish looks up at a falling lure, it probably can only see .040 or larger in contrast against the overhead available light. For this type of bait, I always use .040, .062 or .090. For all I know, the black things in the bait might represent prey intestines. LOL

The smaller the lure, the smaller the glitter. Kalin grubs have shown me a number of great combos in their 3" grub and all sizes used were .015 and .008.

If you go the route of craft glitter, note the single size it comes in, the dollar amount for one true oz. (including tax) and whether it can stand up to plastic temps over 300 degrees. Most burn on reheats and turn plastic brown.

Tip: Lately I've been using dipping dyes to color plastics. (Spike-It, Hawk or Colorite) It saves time in having to pour 2 different colors for tails or tips. All colors are true and look like they have two colors of plastics. Glitter shows through as well as in dyed plastic and concentrations of color depend on how many dips.

[TikiJoe]

Thanks guys, Some wonderful help I have recieved. I am hoping in the next week or two to get some days off from work, and get some poured to see how they come out. The ozark page was awesome, and I will be checking out some of that glitter.

[Predator Bass Baits]

Senko sam gives great deals on glitter as well.

Being a newbee myself I had to learn how to use them, I am finding quickly that if you use more softner you can keep the heat lower and it pours easier.

At first I was having trouble with senko sams glitter with it bleeding bad but I think I was heating the plastic to much, last few batches worked very nice.

Dels glitter at least my batch sinks in my plastic even at temps of 280 with a candy thermometer, but I am finding that that works nice in my frogs because the glitter sinks to the bottom, being the top of the frog and it makes for a nice looking bait. I will get a picture of it soon.

[wannabefishing]

i use the .15 most myself, even in my stix, just like the way it reflects light better and to me it's more visually appealing.

SenkoSam has the best glitter i have found, tho i'm kinda disappointed cause i can't get his fuschia to bleed even with multiple reheats, not sure why but it doesn't matter cause the colour itself just rocks... love mixing .15 fuschia and .40 violet grape or purple, just looks really good...

And by far the sexiest colour he has is the Kelly Green that colour just glows like mad and gives a nice offset in a watermelon stix, certain angle you can't see it them BAM it blinds ya lol don't use any other shade of green...

And it case it hasn't been mentioned yet, Senko Sam is a great guy to deal with... eventho he doesn't have pink glitter lol j/k

[Senkosam]

i can't get his fuschia to bleed even with multiple reheats, not sure why

I order glitter from two distributors - one which has better heat resistant glitter, but less colors in the sizes commonly requested. It should bleed if you get the temp above 325, the same for violet.

One thing you guys have got to try:If you use jig trailers, heat some medium smoke plastic and put .015 gold hologram and .040 black flake in it.

I poured some smoke Power Grub copies last week and clobbered 6 species on Fri. I also dipped a few of the tails in chartreuse dipping dye and the effect was superb! We kept 19 lbs of yellow perch, I caught 8 bass on the same smoke/ gold holo glitter grub and threw back over 40 fish. Get the holo from anyone, but do try it! I know that a trailer with this color will go well with my weedless jigs.

(*Guys who've fished with me know I don't embellish on numbers or size!) lol

[Predator Bass Baits]

Here is that picture

[TikiJoe]

Very nice. Last time I went fishing, I was using some senkos and Tiki sticks, Basically the only two lures I use anymore. I still have my emergency box with spinners and sure-fire baits, but All I use now are senkos,tiki sticks, and some jerkbaits. My favorite colors at Cranberry lake(new jersey):

1. Watermellon w/ green flake- Such a pretty lure, and nails em on the rocks.

2. Tiki stick Baby bass pearl- this is a nice swirl color, and can be used texas, or wacky.

3. Pearl/white- On jerkbaits in the pads, The most deadly assassin.

4. Watermellon gold- A very interesting color that shimmers in the water. Great for coaxing bass out of hiding.

These are just my main colors. As you can see, I use alot of soft plastics. The tiki sticks have a very soft feel, and when I fish the senko and tiki stick wacky rigged, The fish hit the tiki stick. Senko's colors+ tiki stick texture= Nice combo.

[Joe S.]

I might be alone on this but I think the senkos are one of the hardest to pour, at least for me , with keeping the temperature cooler to keep all the salt suspended and then not hitting the sides of the mold with the thicker than normal plastic.

I use to get stressed when I had to pump them out, maybe it made me shake but I had a heck of a time with them.

[TikiJoe]

Thanks for all the help. I'll post some pictures of the first pour. Any colors you guys want to see?

[Dave V]

Some flake bleeds more than others. You shouldn't have any bleed with the first flake application if you add it to the heated plastic. It will usually bleed on the reheat. I find if I reheat at a power level 6 setting then the flake won't get hot enough to bleed and the bait colors remain consistent.

I don't use pouring pots, only Pyrex in microwaves so i can't help with that kind of application.

Your bad bleeders are emerald, purple, orange, gold, teal blue.

you can manipulate the flake to bleed to get original colors as well. Some produce a nice effect.

Using different sizes of the same color flake produce nice effects as well. try using .025 and .040 blue in your black and blue senko and compare them to just the one size and you will see what I mean.

Dave V